


Home is what we make of it

by Emma_writes_things



Category: The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28252809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emma_writes_things/pseuds/Emma_writes_things
Summary: Home used to be her apartment in the capital, filled with the latest designers had to offer her and brimming with useless trinkets. Now, home is down a quiet empty street with Haymitch at her side.Effie and Haymitch celebrate a small moment of Yule celebrations together.T for vague descriptions of sex.
Relationships: Haymitch Abernathy/Effie Trinket, peeta - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8
Collections: The Hunger Games 2020 Season of Hope Holiday Gift Exchange





	Home is what we make of it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Buttercupbadass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttercupbadass/gifts).



Effie knew this winter would be different. No new glittering dresses, she had to settle for a plain deep red wool trimmed with gentle gold swirls, as it was the only fabric available for weeks. She had used the last of her good thread to make sure that each swirl was the right size and shape. She couldn’t change it if she wanted to. By now she should have been to at least a dozen parties, had so many delicious sweets and treats that she would have purged several times over. But now…

Now, she watched as Haymitch, her dear sweet stupid Haymitch, and others cleared the snow off the one pine tree in the square that wasn’t horribly damaged in the bombings - yes there were a few branches missing, and some were still singed black, but it still stood at least as tall as the shortest ones trimmed fresh for parties she had been to. The men were laughing as they erected a ladder, a young boy was quick to scurry to the top and brush off the snow before sliding down the rungs and jumping to the ground. 

“Are you ready for the hanging, Ms Trinket?” 

Effie jumped at the quiet voice, she had been so focused she forgot the group she was with. Turning to the little girl, she smiled “The hanging?”

The blonde child nodded before pointing with her one remaining hand to the tree. “We make a new shiny to put on the tree. I made a pinecone star, see?” she held up the mass of pine cones, glued together and wrapped in twine. “Mama said we need to put one up each year, and whoever makes the shiniest will be lucky for the new year!”

Effie grinned, “That sounds wonderful, I’m sure your mother would be very proud of you.”

The girl shrugged before dropping the pinecones in her bag and leaving with the other children. Effie sat alone for several moments before Haymitch sat beside her. “Now what on earth are you doing over here?”

“I was talking to the children about colours and how we used to celebrate the winter in the capital. She mentioned hanging?”

Haymitch nodded, “Everyone makes something for the tree, we don’t normally have one in each home so we just have one everyone shares. I don’t actually do much, just put a bottle of whatever I have laying around on it. Should do more this year.”

“Oh!” she clapped her hands, “You should make something from that gorgeous silk you have. The blue one, with the yellow flowers? Maybe a touch more capital than people expect, but it would bring some much-needed colour to this dreadful winter.” she shivered, drawing her fur coat closer to her. Effie patted his knee before standing, “Now I think a toddy before supper for me. Coming?”

“You go ahead, I have some things to take care of first. Will you wear your new dress tonight?”

She nodded, taken aback by his refusal to join her, fluttering her hands before nodding again and turning to the victor's houses.

Haymitch watched her leave. 

~*~

Supper has been quiet, Peeta and Katniss were giving each other the eyes again, and despite Effie’s best efforts, they still refused to accept that what they had was real. Haymitch was nowhere to be seen the entire meal, despite Effie trying to cook his favourite and wearing the red dress as he requested. The dishes had been cleared and Effie was preparing to scold him when he burst through the door, covered in snow and grinning like the mad man he was. 

“Haymitch! You’re dripping on the carpet! And you missed dinner!”

He swept her in his arms, kissing her soundly and thoroughly before pulling back, smiling at her dazed expression. “Come with me to the hanging.”

“I, I don’t have anything for the tree?”

He shook his head, drawing his hand down to entangle her fingers with his. “That doesn’t matter, come see. Please?” 

Effie couldn’t say no when he asked like that, he knew what it did to her. Soon enough she was staring in astonishment at the tree before her. 

Bright red berries had been strung with popped kernels of corn between the branches. Lit candles swirled around the tree reaching to the top. Dried slices of fruit and vegetables, carefully carved out in the centre to make shapes and names, hung on the branches. She watched as more people walked up to the tree, placing an item or two on the boughs and lighting a candle before stepping back, hands open at their sides and murmuring something. When they left, someone else took their place. 

It was beautiful. 

“Haymitch…” He squeezed her hand before opening it and placing something in it. 

She glanced down to see the silk she had mentioned, wrapped carefully into three rings connected in the center. It was delicate, hardly the size of her palm, she glanced up at him, too speechless for words. 

“Look, there.” She followed his pointing to a young couple close to them. Together they walked up to the tree, placing a single ornament on the boughs before lighting two candles close together and stepping back, hands entwined as the crowd around them cheered. When they moved away, Effie was able to see the ornament was eerily similar to the one she was holding. “It means they pledge themselves to each other. An engagement of sorts, a promise to be there for each other no matter what the year brings. Now, normally each person puts something on it, but since”

“No, wait, I have something for it!” she pushed the ornament into his hands and fumbled with her collar till she pulled out a silver stranded necklace, a single small ruby hanging from it. She was quick to remove it, holding it out to him as her face burned. “Will you wrap this around it?”

His eyes were shining as he nodded, gently taking the necklace from her and winding it with quick fingers until it was wound around all three circles and the ruby hung in the center. He held out his hand and she smiled, placing hers on top to walk the short distance to the tree with him. 

They had to reach high up, almost farther then Effie could reach, hanging the delicate ornament on the bough. The candles they lit much closer, and soon Effie found herself stepping back from the tree to cheers. She went to mimic the stand the other couples had done, but Haymitch pulled her close to him.

He leaned close, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “May the winter nights be warm by your side, may the days be bright and the hunt swift, may we spend the year decided together, blessed be the wheel which turns with us tonight.” 

He was slow to lean back, candlelight dancing in his eyes as he gazed at her. She was entranced, she knew she loved him as he loved her. Their countless passionate or quiet nights together proved that but this, this was something different. This was life-changing, and even as they moved to make way for others to come she couldn’t help but wonder if the other couples felt the same. 

It was only as she gazed around as they walked back that she realized, all the women were wearing red. They each had a dress made of the same wool, even Katniss who scratched at the low neckline. Peeta was beside her in all black, a red sash across his chest. Haymitch was dressed the same, though his sash was trimmed with gold.

An old woman in white, with candles around her head, walked up to them. Several young men and women trailed behind her in white as well, they each carried wreaths of branches in their hands. “Blessings upon you both! Come, come take the blessings.”

Haymitch knelt towards her and a woman placed a white tinged wreath on his head. The old woman waited, gazing at Effie before she squeaked and knelt as well, and a young man placed a wreath with red berries on it. They stayed kneeling as the woman raised her candle above them and dripped wax onto the fronts of the wreaths. “Blessings upon you as the wheel turns.”

Haymitch was quick to respond, “And may it turn for you.” 

The old woman nodded before walking off to another couple. 

“What just happened?”

“Come home to bed, I can explain better once I get this beautiful dress off you and see what you have on underneath.”

~*~

Home used to be her apartment in the capital, filled with the latest designers had to offer her and brimming with useless trinkets. Now, home is down a quiet empty street with Haymitch at her side. 

Home is now knocking the snow off her boots before entering, hanging her coat and hat up before walking barefoot up the stairs, his hand firmly in hers as they travel the hallway to their bedroom. 

Home used to be one or two lovers, brief short stints with whom or whatever caught her eye that night. Always making sure they understood it was just for the night. 

Home is now knowing that Haymitch likes to help her undress, slowly sliding her dress off her shoulders and letting his hands trail down her soft back as he kneels behind her. 

Home used to be laughing away the scars from her surgery to prevent-

Home is now Haymitch tracing his tongue on her scar, understanding that the pain of losing the choice at a young age meant each child sent to their death or win she thought of as her own. 

Home is now Haymitch between her thighs, kissing and caressing her until she comes apart at the seams. Home is now straddling him, never holding him down but moving in a way that brings them both the satisfaction and numbness they crave. 

Later, as she curls around him, scratching his back, he explains the blessings. 

Each year three women are selected to give blessings to the new couples. The maiden for young love beginning to bloom, for friendship to last and lives to begin. The mother to help heal aches, to give a moment of joy in their dark lives. The crone to bless the old, the deep in love and those ready to spend what remains of their lives together. 

Effie holds him closer, bringing his face to her chest so she can try and bring some of him into her that won’t leak out onto the sheets. She didn’t miss the parties this year, and won’t miss them in the years to come. Haymitch was her home now, and even as he snores like a lion beside her, she would change nothing.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
